Nigeria Must Stop Importing What It Can Produce – Industry Minister
The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, has called on Nigeria to urgently cut down on imports and deliberately channel its large population into productive industrial activities, warning that population size alone does not translate into economic growth.
Speaking at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Lagos Province 35 Economic Summit, the minister said Nigeria’s growing population would only become an asset if backed by strong industrial capacity and consistent economic policies.
According to him, the success of the Federal Government’s Nigeria-First Policy introduced by President Bola Tinubu in 2025 to prioritise local industries in government procurement will depend largely on policy predictability, coordinated execution, and effective use of public procurement to stimulate domestic manufacturing.
“Nigeria does not need to import what it can produce. We can clothe ourselves, manufacture vehicles, produce medical equipment and furniture locally,” Owan said.
He disclosed that his ministry is already engaging the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to ensure that the Nigeria-First policy is embedded into procurement frameworks across key sectors such as textiles, automotive manufacturing, medical equipment, and furniture.
Owan described public procurement as a powerful but underutilised tool for industrial growth, noting that predictable government demand could unlock private sector investment and accelerate local value-chain development.
Drawing examples from countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, the minister said sustained policy consistency not perfect infrastructure was what helped those nations become global exporters of garments, electronics, and machinery.
“One manufacturer told me, ‘I don’t need everything to be perfect; I just need things to be predictable.’ That statement captures exactly what businesses need to invest, expand, and create jobs,” he said.
He added that policy uncertainty forces businesses to focus on survival rather than growth, stressing that stable rules and clear government direction are critical to competitiveness.
The minister warned that Nigeria’s youthful population could become a burden if industries fail to expand quickly enough to absorb labour.
“A large population only makes sense if it is productive. Otherwise, it becomes pressure, not potential,” he cautioned.
Owan explained that the current administration’s reforms are aimed at shifting Nigeria away from consumption-driven policies to a rule-based, production-focused economy, where government spending supports local industries instead of foreign producers.
“We are aligning policy, procurement and production. That is how we convert demography into demand, demand into production, and production into jobs,” he said.
He concluded by expressing optimism that the reforms being implemented in 2026 would translate into stronger industries, increased investments, higher trade volumes, and expanded job creation across the country.
